In Baron de Rede’s own words “On 12 December 1972, Marie-Hélène gave her Surrealist Ball at Ferriéres. This time the guests were asked to come in black tie and long dresses with Surrealist heads. The invitation was printed with reversed writing on a blue and cloudy sky, inspired by a painting by Magritte. To decipher the card, it had to be held to a mirror.

For the evening the chateau was floodlit with moving orange lights to give the impression that it was on fire. The staircase inside was lined by footmen dressed as cats that appeared to have fallen asleep in a variety of staged poses. Guests had to pass through a kind of labyrinth of Hell, made of black ribbons to look like cobwebs. The occasional cat appeared to rescue the guests and lead them to the tapestry salon. Here they were greeted by Guy with a hat to resemble a still-life on a platter, and by Marie-Hélène wearing the head of a giant weeping tears made of diamonds.

Marie Hélène proved that she had the flare and imagination to create something unique and worthwhile. None of this was created by charm alone. It needed a degree of ruthless determination. She attended to every minute detail of style in her life and also in her entertaining. She was a great hostess with all the qualities. She loved parties and people. She was forever in quest of new talent and new figures to entertain from the world of the arts, literature, dance and haute couture. She mixed them with the more established set of Paris society. everyone was intrigued. Marie-Hélène’s parties took on such importance that one social figure threatened to commit suicide unless she was invited.

It is not possible to repeat such things now for many reasons. But it is fascinating to look back and to remember these occasions, which dominated our thoughts and plans to such an extent for so many months. I am happy that I took part in so many, and happy that I gave some myself.”

The amazing mood music above is from my favorite local band, the Darktown Strutters. You can buy their 12″ ep here.

60s jewelry artists Alex and Lee. Their one of a kind necklaces (such as the one pictured above) were loved by the likes of Sonny and Cher, who made them household names after wearing their creations on their show.Fabulous!

Brrrr, is it ever cold outside! Remember what I told you about TX weather? Last week felt like spring. But this week we’ve had snow, icy roads, single digit temperatures… and more snow is predicted for tomorrow.

Needless to say, I’ve hardly left home. Which in a sense is a blessing, because (when the power isn’t down) it’s pushed me to focus on adding new items to the Goldmine Trash shop. This isn’t even the begining of our stock. I have a lot of seams to reinforce and hems to restitch on the vintage, and several House of Trash dresses need finishing touches. Slowly but surely I’m working on it. So here’s a start:

I love these 80s butterfly tops! They look great with skinny jeans (or shorts in the summer), and can be layered over maxi dresses as well. Perfect for partying in. You’ll have no problem standing out in dark room with this thing on! It’s deadstock – never worn vintage – and has the original tag + bag of extra sequins and beads intact.

I’ve dubbed this the Intoxi-dress, in honor of Intoxica Radio with Howie Pyro. A collector of all things vintage since childhood, Howie has over 30,000 vinyl records alone! Intoxica is my favorite radio show because Howie’s great sense of humor really comes out on there. Plus, you can hear stuff you’ll never hear anywhere else. In an age where everything seems instantly accessible online, that’s quite an accomplishment, imo.

This House of Trash dress was handmade by yours truly, from deadstock vintage fabric in an ultra rare vinyl record print. It fits a modern size large, and you’ll need some dangerous curves to fill this baby out. My dressform did this no justice!

Mother of God. This thing is amazing! I’ve pretty much seen it all in my 15+ years of wearing, collecting, and selling vintage. This piece had me stumped however. The gal I originally purchased it from thought it had something to do with the Russian Orthodox church. There’s no religious insignias on it though.

Other theories are that it’s a vintage costume, a fraternal order costume, or a vintage Indian garment. One of our Facebook friends offered the most likely explanation though: that it’s a torero (bull fighters) costume. Considering that TX borders Mexico, this makes the most sense.

According to her, the matching skullcap would’ve been worn under a larger hat. And the drawstring bag would’ve carried religious trinkets for good luck.

Whatever the case may be, this set is stunning! It’s hand stitched, and all that cording is hand tacked in place. The velvet looks and feels like a 30s velvet, so I’m dating this to the 1930s. It’s in fabulous condition. It’s perfect for a boho babe to make some magic in, but would be perfect for a burlesque costume too.

I love vintage clothes because: They’re fun! Clothing had soul then….the fabrics, construction, everything was better quality. So much of what is out there today as far as new clothing goes is made in China. Now wearing a piece of vintage clothing is a luxury, and it’s rare that someone else would be out in the same thing as you.

We don’t care about designer labels so much, but we are deeply knowledgeable about them as they can be a great reference for finding what you like. The fashion industry is fast paced, and vintage clothing is art meant to be worn, not hoarded by collectors. It’s important to mix old & new clothing.

My best vintage scores have been: An Ossie Clark snakeskin jacket, the vintage 70s Fiorucci snakeskin & metallic platform heels someone just purchased from our Etsy page for their Shoe Museum in Moscow (we still have a similar pair left!), and all of the beautiful Masonic hardware we have in shop from the late 1800’s; they’d be great for a jewelry or hardware designers reference of gorgeous new finishes.

My dream is to one day own: Everything ALAIA.

My fashion muses are: The spirits that we talk to, Strawberry Switchblade, and Kate Moss. She likes a lot of good vintage British boutique clothing.

This dress has been in our Etsy shop for a while, but the original photos were taken on a point & shoot. I re-shot them with my dslr the other day, and am so glad I did. While the pics still don’t do the dress justice, they’re quite an improvement.

This is the part where Rachel Zoe ‘dies’ >>>

All that glitters!

From the estate of a wealthy Texas socialite, who’s family made their fortune in a rural oil town. A feast for the eyes and soul. Authentic late 1920s party dress in a floral print, completely overlaid with metallic gold threads. Possibly genuine gold bullion, which was still used in clothing back then.

There’s no label present, but it’s likely of French or Belgian origin. You’ve come a long way, baby.

V neckline, with a capelet style collar, drop waistline, and tons of shirring along the sides.

Count Ferdinando Sarmi hailed from an aristocratic Italian family and studied to become a lawyer, as his family had wished. Much to his fathers disappointment however, he abandoned the profession soon after to pursue his passion for fashion design. And thank goodness he did.

After costuming a few Italian films, Sarmi headed for New York; and from 1951-59 he was Elizabeth Arden’s head designer. His elegant evening attire wowed clients such as celebrities, socialites, and first ladies (Pat Nixon was a loyal customer). “Every woman with $600.00 to spend wants to own a Sarmi.” he famously once said.

In 1959 Sarmi opened his own fashion house, which specialized in ladies evening attire. Just one year later he received a Coty award. Renown for it’s haute couture and high end ready to wear; Sarmi gowns costed as much as $4,500, and were known for floral prints and lavish trims such as Ostrich down and cellophane lace.

Despite the decadent detailing, Sarmi stuck to classic silhouettes which are as appropriate for today as they were back then. Goldmine Trash is pleased to offer this Sarmi in pristine condition for a mere $374.99, a fraction of what it would’ve originally cost (usually it’s the other way around with vintage).

Made of silk, it features a an impressionist style ‘watercolor’ floral print in rich jewel tones, which flatter any skin tone. It has a sexy v neckline w/ tie accent, princess lined + darted bust, nipped in waist, semi full skirting, metal back zipper, and the designer Sarmi label. It’s fully lined with silk as well.

ABOUT A GIRL

Ramblin' woman with a heart of black gold. Treasure hunter/restless spirit residing in Texas. I sell vintage clothing to local boutiques, run EBay and Etsy shops, create vintage inspired goods, and take road trips weekly. I love to cook, am a firm believer in crystal healing and other holistic practices, and am on an endless quest for knowledge. Music, film, and art are very important to me.

This blog documents my various adventures and inspirations... when time permits.